Is Subaru Bringing Back The Manual SUV? Here’s What We Know

Subaru, like so many other car brands, has eliminated the manual transmission option from its mainstream vehicles in recent years, with just two Subaru models in the brand’s North American lineup currently offering stick shifts. 

This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone, considering Subaru’s continuing growth in the booming and lucrative crossover SUV segments. For enthusiasts and long-time fans of this formerly niche brand, the lack of manuals is unfortunate. There were times back in the ’90s and 2000s when all of Subaru’s AWD, boxer-powered sedans, wagons, and SUVs could be optioned with three pedals. The brand, however, recently raised eyebrows online with an ownership survey it sent to customers, asking if they’d be interested in a new, manual-transmission-equipped SUV. 

A simple, private survey shouldn’t be used as a substantial rumor, let alone any confirmation that Subaru is working on a manual SUV, but this hasn’t stopped owners, enthusiasts, and the automotive media from speculating about what this manual-equipped Subaru SUV could possibly be. Would it be Subaru simply adding a manual transmission to one of its current SUV models? Or could the manual gearbox possibly be part of a more substantial, enthusiast-oriented trim package, or maybe a new model altogether?

SUVs and crossovers with all-wheel drive are the bread and butter of Subaru’s lineup, and right now, the only transmission you can get in any of those vehicles is an automatic. Want a new Subaru with a manual? You’ll need to forego all of those popular SUVs and choose from either the ultra-niche BRZ or the WRX. The highly entertaining turbocharged WRX with its standard six-speed carries on Subaru’s rally racing roots, and is now the only sedan the company sells. The BRZ, as a two-door, rear-whele drive coupe, is about as far removed from AWD SUVs as it gets. 

SUVs with manual transmissions from any brand are extremely rare across the industry today, and it’s unlikely that a manual gearbox would be a popular option among mainstream buyers looking at Foresters and Outbacks. There’s still, however, some precedent for manual Subaru SUVs, and we could see the potential if the company could package the stick-shift as part of a dedicated enthusiast package.

In one of the surveys Subaru sent out, it specifically asked about a manual in the Outback Wilderness, so that could be a possibility. The Outback, especially in its latest form, is more like a large family SUV and less like a quirky, lifted station wagon than ever, so a manual may be out of place there.

A manual transmission Forester is another possibility, and Subaru once offered a high-performance Forester STI complete with a manual gearbox and a turbocharged boxer. Like the Outback, though, the Forester has evolved into a larger, more traditional crossover SUV. Then there’s the Crosstrek, which might be the ideal Subaru for a manual revival. 

The Crosstrek is hugely successful, and it’s a solid entry in the small crossover SUV segment; it’s less of a traditional family SUV and more of an Impreza hatchback with extra ride height and rugged styling, the compact Crosstrek could make sense with a manual option, and Subaru actually offered a manual Crosstrek as recently as the 2023 model year.

What if, though, Subaru did one better and brought over the whole WRX powertrain? Imagine the fun of the compact and off-road capable Crosstrek Wilderness, but with the punchy 2.4-liter turbocharged engine and six-speed manual from the WRX. As far as engineering goes, building a manual, WRX-powered Crosstrek should be a relatively easy task for Subaru, as the two cars are already built on the same global platform. 

Some Subaru enthusiasts have even performed the swap on their own, without major work. For now, a Crosstrek WRX or any other manual-equipped Subaru SUV remains a dream, but these surveys at least show that somewhere inside of Subaru, the idea has crossed someone’s mind enough to ask customers about it.